The scientific workshop held recently in Chennai on the use of inorganic substances in Siddha and Ayurveda healing systems has underlined the fact that there is a growing need for critical assessment in the areas of efficacy and reactions of the present day herbo mineral drugs or ‘Rasa Drugs’.

Majority of the participants in the workshop were of opinion that modern herbo mineral drugs might cause adverse reactions on the users. They find many reasons to these Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), mainly because of the shortage of authentic and original mineral ores. Though Rasa Drugs are considered to be supreme, large scale divergence has taken place now in developing the formulations from its original ways prescribed in the classics.

The workshop was conducted by the Centre for Traditional Medicines and Research based in Chennai and attended by researchers from Siddha & Ayurveda healing systems, experts of Chemical Technology, Pharmacognosy, Traditional healers of ISM and Sanskrit scholars.

The eminent ayurvedic researcher associating with CTMR, Dr T Varadarajan, who held a discussion in the seminar, asserted that there is a possibility of potential ADR in the herbo mineral drugs available in the market today. According to him, many of these drugs have chronic toxicity which has been evident in many studies carried out by his teams. He said though the ISM practitioners of today do not agree with this fact, the studies conducted on the safety of these drugs have proved it beyond any doubt. He advised the modern practitioners to follow the traditional ways in their original forms to make non-toxic medicines that will sustain the authentic safety of the so called alternative system. He expressed concern over the nonentity and gradual decrease of precious plants, some of them are becoming extinct, and urged the need to work more on inorganic drugs.

Dr T Thirunarayanan, the secretary of the CTMR, has presented a detailed note on the classifications of inorganic drugs in Siddha system and sought the help of experts including scholars and linguists in interpreting the different inorganic drugs listed under the nomenclatures, ‘Uparasas’ and ‘Pashanas’. He pointed out the confusion in the use of certain terms such as ‘Karasaarams’ for salt and explained that there existed a false notion that Pashanas were synonymous with toxins, and in reality they meant only stone or rock like substances.

Vaidya S Usman Ali, the president of CTMR, said the ‘uparasas’ are inorganic substances that could be obtained from mineral ores and plant exudates. According to him most of the Pashanas are synthetic or man made, and they can be similar to Siddha drugs like ‘Kattu’ and ‘Kazhangu’.

Another expert, Vaidya R B Ramamurthy said though nine gems are classified under ‘uparasas’ they should only be treated as separate entity. Dr M K Thyagarajan, secretary of IMPCOPS has explained that close to 100 inorganic drugs are used in manufacture and each has in-house developed specification and finished products undergo tests as per standards mentioned in traditional texts.

N Srinivasan, Sanskrit scholar brought out the similarities in terminologies used in Siddha and Ayurveda literatures. Dr S Rajkumar, Research officer at CTMR coordinated the entire proceedings.